


The After

by will_conqueror1



Series: The After Series [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Collaboration, F/M, Summer of Giles 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-01 15:29:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15146150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/will_conqueror1/pseuds/will_conqueror1
Summary: Giles won’t leave Buffy to deal with her mother’s death alone. What will happen when she starts asking questions he doesn’t want to answer?





	The After

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Summer of Giles 2018. The sequel was written by the_huffster.

Giles looked upstairs where Buffy and Dawn had just gone up a few minutes earlier. It had been a long day. He still couldn’t believe Joyce was gone. Things had gone so well after the surgery. It seemed cruel, to give them all hope only for her to be taken anyway. 

After he drove them home from the hospital he cooked them dinner and helped Dawn with her homework, hoping some normalcy might take their mind off losing their mother, even for a short time. 

It was nearly ten in the evening when they finally went to bed. Buffy didn’t protest when he told her he would stay in case she needed anything. She just wished him a good night, yawned, and followed her sister up the stairs toward their rooms. 

He looked around. He couldn’t remember if she told him where he might find guest linens so he simply toed off his shoes, set his glasses on the end table, and lay down on the sofa. It wasn’t the most comfortable he’d ever been, but he wasn’t about to go upstairs and sleep in Joyce’s bed. It wouldn’t be proper, she’d been gone less than a day. 

As soon as he shut his eyes he was asleep, the exhaustion from the emotionally trying day finally catching up to him.

He was asleep until the sound of someone sobbing tore him from his slumber. He opened his eyes only to find a mop of blond hair on his chest as his slayer sobbed over him. 

“Buffy?” He asked, placing his hand on her back. 

She looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot and puffy. “You’re alive?” 

He looked at her, confused. “Of course I’m alive. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I had a dream… you… you died. Then I came down here and I saw you laying there… where I found… where I found Mom. I thought…” She broke down sobbing again and he pulled her closer. 

“I’m alive.” He assured her, murmuring into her hair. It hadn’t occurred to him. By the time he’d arrived at the house the paramedics had already come and gone. Of course they would’ve moved her onto a harder surface to perform CPR. 

They sat there for twenty minutes, neither one of them saying anything. Eventually Giles realized he’d have to move at some point, they weren’t going to be able to stay in this position for the entire night. 

“Buffy, perhaps we should move this conversation somewhere else.” He suggested. “Possibly the dining room, or the kitchen. I can make us some tea.”

She pulled back and looked at him for a moment before nodding. He started to stand up and she clung to him, unable to let go of him, in case he wasn’t real. 

He patted her back. “I’m not going to be able to move very well like this.” He pointed out. 

Reluctantly she let go, but stayed close to him, just in case. They went to the kitchen and he put on the kettle while she sat on the counter watching him. She hadn’t realized how much time he’d been spending at the house, but as he puttered around the kitchen, never opening the wrong cabinet in his quest to find everything they’d need for their tea, she knew it had been more than she thought. He never missed a step, he knew this kitchen as well as his own. 

“Were you in love with her?” She asked him, not sure what she wanted the answer to be.

He looked at her, surprised by the question. “Your mum?” She nodded. “No, I wasn't. I was very fond of her, she was a dear friend, especially these last few months. As you well remember there were several months were she couldn’t stand to be in the same room with me.”

“After the band candy?” 

He blushed but nodded. “If that hadn’t happened I’d venture to guess we’d have been better friends, that incident only succeeded in making subsequent interactions uncomfortable.”

She nodded in understanding. She heard the kettle whistle and Giles started pouring water into each mug with one tea bag to let it steep. He’d used up the last of their supply of loose leaf tea the last time he’d watched Dawn. 

“So why did you get closer this year?” She asked.

“Time can be a great healer.” He pointed out. “Plus, we both knew the truth about Dawn and we wanted to protect her. You could say we bonded over a shared mission.”

“Is it…” She bit her lip. “Is it weird that I’m glad you weren’t in love with her?” She asked. 

He raised an eyebrow. “I don't know. I suppose it depends on the reason. I understand that it’s natural for children to want their parents together after divor--”

“No, it’s not that. I mean, I wasn’t exactly thrilled when they got divorced, but I understood it. I never really had a problem with my parents dating. Except for Ted. Obviously. But he was a homicidal robot, so I think I get a pass. Oh, and my Dad living out the cliché one secretary at a time. Not a big, fan of that. But my mom had a date a couple days ago. I was happy for her. I don’t know why I’m glad you weren’t in love with her. I just… am.”

He watched her for a moment before concentrating on the tea. He took the bags out and fixed hers with lemon and honey, then added just a bit of sugar to his. He wasn’t sure what to make of that revelation. 

He took a sip of his tea. 

“Is there someone you  _ are _ in love with?” She asked. 

He nearly spit out his tea, but he was able to catch himself and choke it down. “Beg pardon?”

She looked at him. “You heard me.”

“I don’t see how that’s of any relevance.” He said, avoiding the question. 

She could see she was making him uncomfortable, and she thought maybe it was because of Miss Calendar. Maybe he was still in love with her.

“Like I said, Mom had a date and she was really happy about it. She was almost giddy. I’m glad she had that. I’m glad her last days were filled with happiness and romance. I… I want that for you too. I mean, I know it’s not going to happen for me, because hello, any guy I date ends up leaving this zip code, but I want that for you.” Buffy rambled. “Just because the Slayer doesn’t get a happy ending doesn’t mean her Watcher--”

Buffy was cut off from speaking when Giles leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. As quickly as they were there they disappeared and Buffy sat on the counter gaping at him, while he went back to sipping his tea.

“You needn’t concern yourself, Buffy. Rest assured, I’m  _ exactly _ where I want to be, and in no way do I feel I’m missing anything from my life.” He told her. 

“You kissed me.” She squeaked. 

“I’m aware.” He said, the corner of his mouth quirking up slightly.

“You kissed me.” She repeated.

“It always seems to work in the movies when one person goes off on a tangent.” He pointed out.

“Yeah, in romance movies, when the characters are in…” She trailed off, her eyes getting comically wide. 

He took the untouched mug of tea from his shocked Slayer. He knew she wouldn’t drink it anyway, she liked the warmth of the mug in her hands and the aroma, but she almost never had more than a couple sips of tea that he made her. 

“Go upstairs and get some sleep.” He instructed. “I’m taking you and Dawn to breakfast tomorrow and we’re going to have some decisions to make.” He told her. “I’ll need you to be well rested.”

She nodded and made her way upstairs. “Giles… please don’t sleep on the couch I… I can’t go through that again.” She whispered, her voice wavering slightly. 

He nodded. “I won’t.”

“You can have my room. Tonight of all nights, I don’t think Dawn would mind my company.”

“I’m sure I’ll--”

“Giles, it’s fine. Please. You need rest too.” 

He simply nodded and turned to clean up the kitchen. Not for the first time he was astonished by her strength and resilience. He hadn’t wanted to tell her about his feelings now, but he knew it was important that she knew that she was loved, and not only that, but he had indeed found love, even if it hadn’t been in a place either of them expected. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always greatly appreciated.


End file.
